Experience The Joy of a 1996 McLaren F1 GTR Driven In Anger at Silverstone

The McLaren F1's legend looms large for many reasons–its stratospheric top speed, its victory at its Le Mans debut, and its obsessive, hyper-focused design, to name a few–but I also think its engine has a lot to do with it. Not just the fact that it produces 627 horsepower, but that it sounds like nothing else on the road. An aggressive, musical masterpiece.

It's even better mixed with the high-pitched whine of a racing gearbox, as this 1996 McLaren F1 GTR race car demonstrates. McLaren just posted this video to its YouTube channel, which features the famous BMW Motorsport F1 GTR lapping Silverstone in period.

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The BMW-designed engine is arguably the greatest naturally aspirated powerplant ever produced. Listening to it do what it does best is pure joy.